Old guys watching their left hands

[Razman]

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Yep, there I am, looking at my hand. Okay, so it happens occasionally. Maybe I was bored, who knows.

Recently I just switched from a 7 string to a 9 string, and feel frequent urges to check and see what is happening down there - especially if I hear an odd note. But I'm working on it.

 

[Oldboy]

Yeah.Even him.But he watches his right hand

 

[DWBass]

It's just a candid. I do both depending on what I'm playing. If it's a complicated bassline, I'm looking. All musicians look at what they're playing. Never seen anyone not ever look at what they're playing.

 

[Auspuff]

The other day I was perusing the forums (instead of practicing) and I started noticing that a lot of the gig photos were of old guys staring at their left hands. "Look up!" I thought to myself, "Smile for the audience! At least acknowledge them..."

Later on, I came across a music calendar bio picture where, again, the musician was looking at his left hand and I thought, "Well, at least look up for the publicity photo!"

Suddenly I remembered the picture I sent for the band I had just joined to use on their social media sites:

View attachment 5102998

Heed your own advice, man!

I'm 58-years old, and I stopped looking at my left hand, a long time ago.

Playing fretless helps.

If you don't trust your hands, you will not be a great player, in my book. It's why we have ears.

 

[Matt R.]

Sometimes I look and sometimes I don’t. Absolutely nothing wrong with either way. Never understood why it’s so looked down upon.

 

[Danny O Danny]

Yes, I see what you mean... Old guys staring at their left hands...

 

[MegaSwing]

That’s why I wear a broad-brimmed hat.

This is important work, y’know.

 

[Bill Whitehurst]

Hey if I don't watch that little rascal, it might wander off!

 

[KRJax]

My brain is usually a note or two ahead of my left hand!

 

[Neil Folkard]

If you don't wear shorts, flip-flops and Hawaiian shirts and look at your fretting hand while you play your P Bass with tort and flats, are you even a talk bass member?

And play in cover bands. None of this originals nonsense...

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I specifically practice not looking, it makes you use your ear. If you did not look at your board, would you know you played it correctly?

Oh, I'd know alright. That's why I look at my left hand. I'm pretty sure the audience appreciates it more when I don't play wrongs notes than when I'm looking at them playing the wrong ones.

Further, the last time I looked at the audience and I was met by a rather large bouncer type after the show accusing me of looking at his wife. He was older than me, guessing about late 70's, but he had a cane.....

 

[Marc valero]

From a video about 3 months ago, I try not to look at the bass much.

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

I saw Rodrigo y Gabriela the other night and they were about 50/50. When things got real technical they definitely stared at their fretboards. But when the songs opened up on easier parts, they were eyes out. Awesome show btw.

 

[Watchootognbout]

Some of us don't play music that demands that the musician smile and keep eye contact with the crowd.
The music is the show.
And most of the time it takes more technical effort than your basic "Stage presence"show.
And that often demands that you look at your fretting fingers.


My favorite "Old Guy watching his left hand"
And when he's not....he's looking "inside"

 

[IPA]

One of the reasons I don't like playing complicated stuff, aside from the fact that I suck, it's more fun to be able to enjoy playing a part of the song and not be absorbed completely in the noteyness.

 

[Aussie Player]

Now you know why many bassists only tour with multiples of the same bass or only play the "one" for years on end. Mac, Bruce, Fraser, JPY, Ent, Voorman, Geezer etc...........sure helps with muscle memory.

 

[InhumanResource]

You forgot “doesn’t listen to any music that came out after high school”.

don’t forget the iPad

 

[bobyoung53]

The other day I was perusing the forums (instead of practicing) and I started noticing that a lot of the gig photos were of old guys staring at their left hands. "Look up!" I thought to myself, "Smile for the audience! At least acknowledge them..."

Later on, I came across a music calendar bio picture where, again, the musician was looking at his left hand and I thought, "Well, at least look up for the publicity photo!"

Suddenly I remembered the picture I sent for the band I had just joined to use on their social media sites:

View attachment 5102998

Heed your own advice, man!

Everyone looks at their neck sometimes, I look for jumps up or down the neck.

 

[BuddhaFingas]

Yeah.Even him.But he watches his right handView attachment 5103304

As do I.

I tried watching both but ended up looking like Marty Feldman.

 

[mikewalker]

I mostly play with my eyes closed...